eljuwa

You had me worried there for a bit that it had been the one I refereed you to.

Thanks for the information. As I had told you I had no experience with him on a Mac just my PC and he had told me he worked on Macs.

Glad you got your tunes back.

Hello Dolly, with your reference of the Comp. Tech., I am over the moon. Thanks again. Suchart is great on Mac's also. For the cost of 500 Baht, he did all I wanted done. Thanks a million.

Hello Forum Members

It is my desire to share my nightmarish experience with a certain Computer Technician in Chiang Mai. I would not want my worst enemy to undergo this experience of mine. Also, I wish to caution other prospective customers of this situation. I will leave names out in order that I may comply with the Forum etiquette. Here is my story.

I had a completely healthy operating computer with all of my records, in the world. I also had a Back-up (Carbon Copy) of my hard drive in that computer. I wanted to upgrade my software to Snow Leopard ( I had already bought the disc). To do this upgrade I needed more RAM. So my needs were to (1) Get the extra RAM and (2) Insert the Snow Leopard. This technician came to my place on a free call and I described my needs. He said that he wanted to take my computer to his place to do some research. I said "What research do you need to install RAM ?" I should have known at that time that this technician is not experienced. So he takes my computer away. I get a call that evening from him stating that he lost my hard drive, lost all my records including the Back-up. My hard drive was DEAD. He proceeded to buy a new hard drive. I did not get my computer back for 3 days. Now, I get my computer back with the new hard drive and the Snow Leopard installed.

The total charge for all of this was an astronomical 9,000 baht. His direct costs were: 4 GB of RAM and cost of a hard drive (it was not an expensive one). I did not get a breakdown of this. His cost of labor should have been - 2 service calls of 1,000 baht.

There are two matters that concern me. (1) The excessive cost (2) Inexperienced technicians like this should not be performing computer services.

I wish to take the following actions.

(1) Within the Forum guidelines and etiquette, report and expose the name of this person. No one should use his services.

(2) Make similar reports and exposes to the Expats Club and Chiangmai Grapewine.

(3) Report this incident to the Better Business Bureau in Chiang Mai - if they have any such organization in Chiang Mai.

Kindly extend your comments to me.

Thanks very much

James

PS: Hello Dolly referred a new computer technician to me. He made one service call ( 500 Baht) and successfully recovered my i-tunes music from my i-pod to my new hard drive. I am totally satisfied with this new technician's services.

Hello Forum Members

This is to thank all of you who assisted me in my search.

As recommended and referred by Hello Dolly, this morning, I had this great technician who solved all my problems. From i-mac to i-tunes to my POP mail account.

His name is Suchart, Tel. # 0895563931. Thanks again, Hello Dolly. He only charged me 500 baht.

Cheers

James.

Use a free software called sharepod from getsharepod dot com. You can easily export your music from your ipod to your computer.

Now, I need someone to transfer these 11,000 songs from my i-pod to my new hard drive in my computer.

Thanks very much

Theres and app called diskaid which allows your mac to see your idevice as hard drive - should work.

But dont give up on the hard drive just because a CM technician said so. Lots of apps around that can recover data.

Thanks very much. I still need someone to do it for me. I am not literate with computers.

Theres and app called diskaid which allows your mac to see your idevice as hard drive - should work.

But dont give up on the hard drive just because a CM technician said so. Lots of apps around that can recover data.

Thanks much

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun James,

You got excellent advice from Khun SoloFlyer, and Khun CobraSnakeNeckTie.

The first thing you need to do, with some expert help, is see if the hard-drive you now consider dead, can be mounted as an external drive on someone else's Mac, or your own: assuming the technician you used (who it sounds like you have little "faith" in) has already tried that, and that procedure failed.

Unlike human death, which is considered a binary condition (except by believers in certain religions, and depending on whether you define the body still going, but with no visible higher-level brain functioning [i.e., coma] as being alive, and with the exception of rare cases where people (usually very young people) are frozen quickly n icy-water, and appear dead, but, are revivable after some period of time), hard drives can exhibit various forms of death.

Often, a drive you think may be dead, may actually be in some form of zombiehood: you may still be able to recover some files from it, but, in general, you will not be able to recover any applications (after all, they require complex install processes, creating secondary files all over the place, and "registering themselves with the OS they are running on in complex ways).

We might think of several high-frequency posters here on ThaiVisa Chiang Mai as being like a zombified hard drive, but, said frequent posters may suddenly undergo states of remission, in which, for a few posts, they manifest the clinking of the chains of ghost rationality, civility, etc. Obviously certain memories are still available to them, most often with a racist, sexist, or intolerant flavor, laden with spite, reeking of vengeance, but one senses these are, perhaps, simply the doppelgangers of habitual ways of thought and perception, repeated so often that they are off-loaded into lower-level brain memory storage systems, and persist even after higher-level consciousness is permanently disabled.

What you need to do is find some helpful local Mac expert, who will know what recover software for the Mac is good for file recovery.

I am familiar with drive recovery on the PC, but don't know anyone here geek enough on the Mac to recommend you to.

good luck, ~o:37;

Thanks very much for your reflections. You sound very spiritual. I understand what you are saying.

Theres and app called diskaid which allows your mac to see your idevice as hard drive - should work.

But dont give up on the hard drive just because a CM technician said so. Lots of apps around that can recover data.

Thanks very much

Follow this guide.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1329

Thanks. I will

I think you just plug your Ipod into your computer and it will ask you if your want to synchronized (sync'd) to your Itunes on your Mac.

Ask in here.

This is a good forum to know about.. Lots of Apple nerds in there.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/150-apple-forum/

If you are going to hesitate about it you can try it on my computer first.

You are certainly welcome to all the songs I have in my i-pod.

I think you just plug your Ipod into your computer and it will ask you if your want to synchronized (sync'd) to your Itunes on your Mac.

Ask in here.

This is a good forum to know about.. Lots of Apple nerds in there.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/150-apple-forum/

Thanks, I tried that before. No luck. It is easier when you already have songs in your library and you get a new i-pod. The sync is easy. But, in my case, I lost my library and all I have is my i-pod with all 11,000 songs. Reverse action is more difficult.

Hello CM Forum Members

You helped me a week ago on getting more RAM and update to Snow Leopard.

Thanks to all of you, I got it done. But, at a cost.

Mostly because my Hard drive in my computer considered was DEAD. I had to buy another hard drive.

Importantly, I lost all my history and records. And, I have a useless, dead Hard Drive with me.

I can recreate everything. Except my i-tunes account with my history. I do have my i-pod which has all the 11,000 songs plus.

Now, I need someone to transfer these 11,000 songs from my i-pod to my new hard drive in my computer.

Where do I go and who can help me?

Hope that some one from the Forum could please direct me. You have helped me before and hope that you could do the same now for me.

Thanks a lot.

James

Dear Forum Members

I received 8 replies to my need to find a technician for my computer. I am so thankful to all of you. All replies were quite helpful. Your input was greatly appreciated.

James

Just take it over to the Mac Studio main office on Siri Mankalajarn. It's the road off Huay Kaew inside(east) of Nimmanhemin road and outside (west) Kad Suan Kaew shopping mall.

They charge 300 to 400 baht and takes an hour or so. You will need to have bought the software or buy it from them.

They do it all the time and will likely go smoothly.

I would look into adding more RAM. 1 GB is the minimum so if you can upgrade to 2gb or 4gb then its going to feel a lot snappier.

18°47'55.88" N 98°58'16.09" E

Thanks very much, CobraSnakeNecktie...this information is exactly what I wanted.

make sure your processor is supported by snow leopard.

I think the Imac has to be made after 2008 to be supported.

I think you need 1 gb minimum to run it.. The more the better obviously. It's not cheap to upgrade RAM in Chiang Mai. Expect to pay a premium versus getting it the US etc.

Probably best to source and purchase your memory first then proceed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X_Snow_Leopard

Yes, Sir. I have 1 GB of RAM. I do not understand computers. Computers do not understand me. I have read all the tutorials from Apple about upgrading etc.. I have looked at my system. I can not execute. How do I find a technician to do this for me at my place. Money is not a problem

James no need for money I am sure, I and other board members can assist you.

Top left hand corner of your screen is the Apple trademark Apple.

Right Click and then click on, (About this Mac), it will tell you the basic configuration of your Mac most importantly your RAM

Snow Leopard is K64, previous I macs could only handle K32, so you need to know when it was made and the Ram you have.

Macs are good to ask questions about, try Upgrade Mac or Leopard to Snow Leopard.

john

John, I more than appreciate your kind advice. I followed the System Profile. all that technical stuff does not make sense to me. I have 1 GB in RAM. Computer made around 2009. I do not know the actual year. I do not know how much RAM I have remaining. I was advised by another member to get extra RAM first. I am not going to the USA for some time. So I have to buy it here.

I know for sure that I am incapable of updating my software on my own. Yes, i and read the tutorials from apple on upgrading. I just could not follow same on my own.

So, could you please find me a technician that will do this for me. Including getting extra memory.

I am honored to get all this advice from a Board Member. Thanks again.

What is your current computer memory ? How much disk space do you have left ?

Assuming you have your Hard Disk on your screen, Left Click and then Click on, Get Info and a box will open with the info.

I went from Leopard to Snow Leopard with no problems on installed 249.72 GB.

john

John, thanks for your advice. I am computer illiterate and I tried what you advised with no success. I am willing to pay you, directly, for your help in updating my software. You obviously was able to do it on your own. Also, I may need extra memory to be added to my present computer.

What is more important is the upgrade and you appear to be the answer to my problems. If u agree to do it with compensation to you. Thanks very much. James

Hello Forum Members

Hope you could assist me with this one.

I have an -mac. I wish to upgrade my software from the current Mac OS X 10.5.8 Leopard that I presently have to the updated Mac OS X 10.6.3 Snow Leopard. I already have the aforementioned disc.

To do the above, I also need to increase my computer memory.

So, I wish to find an English speaking computer technician that is experienced with i-mac and the ability to upgrade the software and add memory to the computer.

Thanks very much.

James

I may be prejudiced. But, I am not on this topic.

I lived in USA for 40 years. Travelled extensively all over the world. I now live very happily in Chiang Mai. Living in Thailand since January 2010. A recent survey conducted by a leading polling body listed SRI LANKA as THE PLACE to visit in 2013. I am born in Sri Lanka and I wish to assure you - go to that beautiful island for a great vacation. The people are very friendly, generous, there is no war. The food is as great as Thailand. But, may be more spicy. There are many 5 star hotels. I recommend that you go to the agoda.com web-site for the best prices. Not the hotels directly.. Do the tours from your hotel.

The South is great for anything to with the sea and the water. Colombo is the capitol. Sri Lanka has a great history. In fact, Budhism came to Thailand from Sri Lanka.. This is a paradise on earth. I still prefer to live as a retiree in Thailand. Good luck to all of you.

Cheers

james

If you are an American, go to the US Consulate. Make an appointment for Notary services. Complete the verification of income form. You could enter any amount that you receive from the USA. That is all you need to get a Non-Immigrant Visa for one year.

I just got my annual visa renewed and I showed an income of US $ 3,800 per month. I do not bring that full amount to Thailand. That is not a requirement.

The US Consulate accepts your sworn word as the monthly income.

Good luck

I always use MrT, its 800 baht, and the taxi will pay the tolls

Would you kindly let me know the Contact details for Mr. T. Thanks. eljuwa (James)

Trip one

Morning

Tiger Kingdom Mae Rim, get in a cage with some large tigers, pay the extra for the pro photographer, have lunch at their open air restaurant.

http://www.tigerkingdom.com/Home.htm

Afternoon

Elephant Camp at Mae Rim, they do a nice show, elephant football, elephants painting.

http://www.maesaelep...m/services.html

Both in the same road so can do both in one day.

Trip two

Drive out to the SriLanna national park near Mae Tang, very pretty.

Mae Ngat reservoir, long tail boat ride out to the Eckhchai Resort floating restaurant for lunch and afternoon.

Swim or do some fishing. They charge 500bht for the return boat trip (for up to 10 passengers) added to your meal bill.

http://www.eakachaihouseboat.com/

Thanks very much

Dear CM Forum Members

I posted about 15 minutes ago, requesting day trips for January 23rd and 24, 2013.

Now, please recommend 3 fine dining restaurants in the Greater Chiang Mai area. Nimmankemin Road and close by. Not far off the city.

There are 3 couples that will be staying at the Hillside Condo 3.

My name is James.

Cell # is // number removed for privacy concerns // and e-mai address is: // email address removed per forum rules, use PM function instead //

Thanks very much.

James

Hello Forum Members

I am James and I live in the Nimmankemin area at Hillside 3 Condo.

I have a total of 6 foreigners, (who will be staying at Hillside 3 in 2 BR unit) over the age of 60 years. Not interested in walking too much, no outdoor adventures, less tiring. Day trips.

On 23rd January 2013 and 24th January 2013. English speaking tour guide and transportation.

Best price and best quality.

Kindly recommend.

My cell # is 0870253873 and e-mail address is <removed>

I have received excellent directions and advice from all of you. Hope you will assist again.

I need an experienced person to complete installation of an Apple TV on an i-mac